Log barge loading device



June 21, J, T L AND 1,863,953

L'OG BARGE LOADING DEVICE Filed Sepc.'15, 1930 Patented June 21, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOHN THADDAEUS WILBAND, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

LOG- BARGE LOADING DEVICE Application filed September 15, 1930, Serial No. 481,981, and in Canada September 14, 1929.

This invention relates to a log barge lo ading device, its object is to facilitatethe loading of log barges and in particular of that type of log carrying craft described in the I patent application of G. S. Wilband et al.

under Serial Number 287,103 and filed J une The massed assemblage of logs for water transportation whether in the form of rafts of various types or as cargo on specially conbarge above referred to this loss is reduced.

structed vessels, has hitherto been a costly to probably a one sixth part, and with the loading facilities added as herein described the total economies effected reach a very high value; at the same time the seagoing qualities of the craft are absolutely conserved or improved.

The methods of construction adopted to secure these improvements in efliciency may be broadly stated as follows:

In the log-barge above referred to as elevated central longitudinal shaft is employed,

this is suitably supported on columns at a convenient height above the deck of the barge, and extends throughout its entire effective length. I make use of this comumnar construction to carry at suitable intervals a short cross beam from which depend on each side of the column hangers carrying a pair of runways, these latter serve to support two trucks on each of which are mounted winding drums with control gear for manual operation on the truck itself, and preferably a From each self-contained gasoline engine. of two hoisting drums on each truck a cable depends in a loop, one end of the cable being secured to the truck on the parbuckle system wherebywhen a bight of the cable engages a slightly modified at this part.

vides merely for raising logs and traversing them to any desired position for trimming purposes, and to facilitate the trimming operation the deck of the barge is providedwith transverse beams suitably spaced longitudinally and so positioned that their upper sur- 1 face presents a declination from. the central row of columns to the side edge of the barge, and thus provides an efficient skidway for easily trimming the logs when deposited thereon by the manipulation of the hoisting gear.

But to make this equipment fully effective for the purposes in view I employ in conjunction with it a further feature which is a salient part of the invention. In order to make the hoisting equipment absolutely effective the logs are brought immediately below the hoisting drums. To effect this a loadingpassage or water-way is built into the hullof the barge, this takes the form of a deep comparatively narrow parallel recess cut through the deck and extending down to below water level. This loading-passage is central and longitudinal of the barge and extends inwardl and right-angul'arly fromthe stern end 0 the barge, thus bifurcating the stern 10f the craft vertically. It is obvious that this water-Way or loading-passage provides a means of floating the logs immediately under the hoisting drums traversing the runways and that they may be readily raised without loss of time or motion.

It is to be noted that the vertical supports for the runways above the water way are A narrow arch preferably of steel framework spanning the loading passage, and supporting from its top inner side the runways which pass through it. The invention is more clearly described by the aid of the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which 1 Fig. 1 is. a plan of the log-barge showing the transverse skidways, and the longitudinal central runways, with the loading-passage at the stern, covered by the narrow arch.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 to an enlarged scale.

In the drawing the numeral 6 indicates the deck of a barge, which in this case is built with a pronounced declination from the centre to the sides of the craft. Transversely positioned above the deck 6 cross beams forming the surface of the skidway which facilitates the loading of the logs are shown at 7 The stern portion 8 is bifurcated in Fig. 1 by the recessed-'water-way 9, this being spanned from the deck 6 by the narrow arch or tunnel '{structure 10, which latter may be of open steel work if preferred. The hinged stanchions 11 and the chain or cable 12 which 18 wound on'the shaft 13 concern the unloading carrying the runways l7.

Traversable on each pair of the runways are the trucks 18, each of which carry a pair of cable drums 19, for hoisting the logs with V the cable 21,'one end of the latter being secured to the drum and one end to the truck,

on the parbuckle system. Fig. shows the logs already loaded at 22, one log in the water at 23 and anotherat 24 being raised, the

7 water level is indicated at 25, the keel or hottom at 26, the bow at 27, and the stern at 8.

From the description it will readily be noted that logs may be floated endwise into the loading-passage or recessed water-way 9 so that they may engage the two looped cables 21 and be quickly raised to the level of the deck'or load as the case may be, and thence traversed longitudinally until clear of the tunnel structure 10, when they are free to be disposed transversely by suitable means at any desired point necessitated by the trim of the load. 7

To facilitate the maneuvering of the barge, buoyance tanks 28 may be built into the hull, to more satisfactorily obtain the required listing efiect.

Having now fully described the nature of my said invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s:

1. A loading device for a log-barge comprising in combination, a central longitudinal water-way formed in the said barge and being of I the nature of a deep recess cut through the deck and hull projecting inwardly and right-angularly from the stern end of the said barge and having substantially vertical parallel sideswhereby logs may be floated into said water-way from the stern of the craft and made conveniently available for direct vertical elevation to any desired level, a series of vertical supports of the nature of columns in spaced apart relation and posi-' tioned longitudinally and centrally of said barge, said series extending from the inner end of said water-way recess to the end of the effective loading space of said barge, an elongated inverted U-shaped vertical support of the nature of a narrow arch or tunnel spanning the said central recess, a runway on each side-0f and supported from said columns, said runway passing through and supported from the inner side of said narrow-arch, a traversable truck on each said runway, said truck being provided with hoisting actuating and controlling means, whereby logs floating within said waterway or loading-passage may be directly raised to any desired level and traversed longitudinally to any position1 necessary for the correct trimming of the loac 2. A loading device for a log-barge combarge and forming a transverse skidway thereupon, said skidway being suitably declined from the longitudinal centre line of said barge to the sides thereof, a runway on each side of and supported from said columns,

a traversable truck on each said runway, said' truck being provided with means for hoisting logs and means for actuating and controlling said hoisting means, whereby logs may be floated endwise and in alignment with said columns and raised by said hoisting means and traversed longitudinally to any desired position on said barge.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN THADDAEUS WILBAND. 

